Growing Recognition of Co-Occurring Disorders and Addiction: What Families Should Know

In recent years, there’s been a marked shift in how health services and charities approach addiction: increasing focus on co-occurring mental health conditions, sometimes called ‘dual diagnosis’ or ‘co-occurring disorders’. For families affected by addiction, this trend isn’t just some technical development. It has real effect on the kind of support available and what recovery may look like.

What are co-occurring conditions?

Co-occurring conditions refer to when someone is dealing with both a substance use/addiction issue and one or more mental health problems at the same time. That could mean addiction plus anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or other diagnoses.

These tend to complicate each other: mental health struggles can push someone toward substance use a form of self-medication; substance use can worsen or trigger mental health symptoms; or some underlying vulnerabilities (genetic, environmental, trauma) make a person more at risk of both. (source)

Why the trend is accelerating now

Several factors are making co-occurring conditions more central in policy, clinical services, and public awareness:

• New NHS policy & research emphasising integrated care. Services are being encouraged to work more closely across mental health and addiction/specialist substance use sectors to avoid people falling through the gaps

• Growing data & reports showing high prevalence. For instance, campaigns by organisations like Stigma Kills have shown that 70% of people using drug services and 86% using alcohol services in the UK report a mental health condition as well.

• Recognition of stigma and barriers. Having both addiction and mental illness often leads to more stigma, more barriers in accessing help, and services that are not set up to deal with both concurrently. That’s getting more attention now.

What this means for families

If someone close to you is living with addiction, this trend means:

• Better diagnosis & earlier intervention. As services become more aware, there’s more chance someone will be properly assessed for mental health issues and addiction, rather than one being ignored.

• More comprehensive / integrated treatment. Rather than going back and forth between mental health services and addiction services, the ideal is a coordinated plan. That might include both therapy for mental health, medication if required, support for substance use, and family or peer support.

• Services are gradually adapting. Protocols like the Kent & Medway dual-diagnosis joint working protocol show how local health services are formalizing collaboration between different providers.

Challenges and remaining gaps

Even with positive movement, there are still challenges:

• Fragmentation of services. Many people with co-occurring disorders still “fall through cracks” — mental health services may not accept active substance users; addiction services may not be equipped to deal with complex mental health needs.

• Stigma. Shame, fear, judgement remain big barriers for many families and individuals, both in admitting the problem and seeking help.

• Lack of consistent access. Rural or less well-funded areas may have fewer integrated services; waiting lists remain long; some people may not know where to turn.

How Families Out Loud can help and what to look for

At Families Out Loud, we believe families are central to recovery — and as the trend toward recognising co-occurring conditions picks up, we’re making sure we’re ready to support in these ways:

• Providing peer support and signposting to specialist services that do integrated care.

• Running support groups where families can share what works for them when mental health and addiction co-exist.

If you’re supporting someone who you think may have both addiction and mental health issues: insist on being heard in assessments; ask whether services can address both; look for care plans that consider emotional, psychological, social needs; and reach out for family support to help you sustain through challenges.

The growing recognition of co-occurring mental health and addiction is a breakthrough: it means more people may get comprehensive care, more families may be included in recovery, and more hope for lasting change. But change takes time, effort, and awareness. If you or a loved one are affected, you are not alone—and by knowing what to look for, asking for what you need, and using supports like Families Out Loud, you increase the chances of recovery being more whole, more sustainable.